Jewelry clasps must provide a secure connection to prevent accidental unfastening, which often results in loss of the jewelry. At the same time, clasps must be relatively easy to connect, since often they must be connected behind the neck of the person wearing the jewelry (in the case of a necklace) or with only one hand (in the case of a bracelet).
An early design for jewelry clasps consists of a small bead fastened to one end of the piece of jewelry. A seamed tubular member having a lateral opening on the seam and two smaller openings on the ends is fastened to the other end. To secure the two ends together, the ball is inserted into the lateral opening and pulled towards an end of the tubular member. The string or wire of the jewelry piece is forced through the seam until it extends through one of the smaller openings in an end of the tubular member.
The claw-type jewelry clasp is another commonly used coupling for jewelry pieces. In the claw-type clasp, a ring is placed on one end of the jewelry piece, and a J-shaped member is placed on the other end of the piece. Usually, a spring-loaded member acts against the J-shaped member to close the gap of the J-shaped member forming a closed second ring. A force is exerted on the spring-loaded member to open the second ring. The first ring is then slid onto the J-shaped member and the spring-loaded member is released to close the gap at the end of the J-shaped member, thereby preventing removal of the ring from the J-shaped member or second ring.
Leaf spring type connectors are also commonly used in jewelry clasps. Typically, a male member is attached to one end of a jewelry piece that is releasably connectable to a female member attached to the other end of the jewelry piece. A leaf spring component, usually comprising a deflectable metal member supported at only one end thereof, is provided on the male member. The leaf spring component is deflected or compressed upon initial insertion into the female member. After the male member is inserted a predetermined distance into the female member, the resilience of the leaf spring component causes the component to snap back into mating abutment with a corresponding feature formed in the female member, thereby preventing removal of the male member therefrom. To release the male member from the female member, a user must exert a force on the leaf spring to force the component out of mating abutment with the corresponding feature of the female member while simultaneously pulling the two members apart.
These clasps are often cumbersome and may unintentionally unfasten. While clasps may include safety or locking features, they are often difficult to use. Further, it is often awkward to connect a clasp for a necklace behind one's own neck or to connect a bracelet using only one hand. Thus, additional improvements are desired. Further, it may be appreciated that there is a need in the art for a clasp that may be incorporated into individual decorative jewelry pieces that may be removably fastened to one another, thereby providing an interchangeable jewelry piece that may be changed at any time to match clothing or to create a unique, one-of-a-kind design.